High Intensity Discharge How-To

This how to is for people who wish to have real HID while retaining your factory projectors and wiring. I did this install on a 2001 Cougar, so there may be some variations from unit to unit. This is a reinactment of an install that took place a few months ago. I tried to back-track taking pictures of each step, but in some cases that was not possible.

First things first, you need to purchase 2 cheap 9006 bulbs, 2 HID ballasts and D2S bulbs. The ballasts I chose were from an Audi(Hella) and the current bulbs are Osram Xenarc.(Some of the pics below show Phillips brand bulbs, which were the original bulbs I used) I purchased the ballasts used from Andy T. ([email protected]) for a very good price.

This is a picture of the two bulbs side by side.



Next you'll want to lay the two bulbs down and line up the 9006 filament with the D2S electrode. Make a mark on the D2S base where the 9006 base(tabs) meets. This is to assure that the light is lined up within the projector for optimum performance. Not lining them up correctly may cause unwanted glare, improper aiming or a yellowish hue.



After making the base mark, you'll need to break off the tabs on the D2S bulbs. This is to allow them to fit into the back of the projector. Some filing may also be needed. I used a Dremmel filing disc to speed up the operation. Test fit the bulb throughout the process, making sure that it clears the back of the projector.



Now the mutalation begins. With pliers, tear the cheap 9006 bulb from its base, being careful not to break the glass and get cut.



Both of these bulbs are 51watt Sylvania 9006, but they are quite different in structure. The brown one on the left was much easier to cut, yet the ring was a little weaker. The gray one on the right had a stronger ring, but has metal running through the base, making it more difficult to cut and more dangerous. Anyhow, this pic is of the two decapitated bulbs in a vise, awaiting to get their rings cut off with a Dremmel w/ cutting disc. After the rings were removed, I used a 1/2"stepping drill bit(unibit) and drilled through the center of the rings. Still not large enough to slide over the bottom of the D2S bulbs, I used a drill type file till I got it just perfect.



Here you see the D2S bulbs with the 9006 rings slid up around them. Notice the notches cut in the right side of the brown based bulb and the left of the gray based bulb. That is to allow the ring to slide over the small tabs used to hold the connector to the D2S bulb.



Once the rings are properly aligned to the mark made on the D2S base, it is time to secure the ring to the base using epoxy. Be careful not to get an excessive amount on the ring's tabs. Let them set for an adequate amount of time.



While the bulbs are setting is a good time to place the ballasts into the headlamp. Unfortunately, this is what I forementioned as not having step by step pics for. It involves aiming the projectors down and breaking out the plastic peices on the floor of the headlamp. The process was quite painstaking, but well worth it. Because the ballasts are placed into the headlamp, there is no drilling or taking a chance of having a leak or fogging up the headlamp.



Here everything is connected and ready for final installation. The ballast is pictured hanging out of the headlamp only to show that the factory 9006 bulb harness plugs directly into the ballast. Thus, retaining all factory wiring and operations. The ballast actually sits on the floor under the projector and the factory sealed door is still fully functional.